Tractor wheel attachment



*0a. 11, i932. M. D. STORM 1,882,373

TRACTOR WHEEL ATTACHMENT Filed vApril 28, 1931 Patented Oct. l1, 1932 UNITED STATES;

MILLER n. STORM, orV BoUToN, IOWA TRACTOR WHEEL ATTACHMENT i,

Alipncatiqg 4furaV april 2s,

This inventionrelates to improvement-s in traction'wheel attachments and more particularly to protection rims therefor.

The primary object of the'invention is to provide a` demountable protectorfrim which may be applied to a tractor wheel to protect roads and streets from injury Vwhich would otherwise be caused by the lugs, cleats, or other like traction elements digging into the. surface of the roadway during the passage of the traction wheel thereover.

A further object of the invention is to provide a traction wheel protector rim which may be attached or removedfrom a traction wheel without the use of special tools, and

when in an applied position, the same is prevented from accidental slipping both circum# ferenti'ally and transversely of the wheel.

A further object is the provision of a. plu- 2o rality of detachablyV connected segmental shaped rim sections, and means for maintain` ing said rim sections in a contracted position about the tread of a traction wheel. l

With these and other objects in view, the

invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which` are hereinafter fully described, are'particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which: i

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor showing my improved protector rim in position upon a traction wheel thereof. j

Figure 2 is an inside planview of a' fragmentary portion of the protector rim showing the spring joint between the meeting ends of two of the rim sections. f

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional view 4e through one of the joints connecting the meeting ends'of certa-in of the sections.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional View on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is afvertical transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3..

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral 10 illustrates in conventional form, a tractor which is provided with a traction wheel 11, the rim 12 ofthe '50' traction wheel being provided with the usual 1931. `serial` No. 533,554);v

traction cleats orlugs 13' whichwhen the tractor is in use upon'soft ground'serve to increase the traction qualities of the wheel; However, there are times when the tractoris driven over a hard'street or road, and at such times, the traction elements 13 are apt to injure or dig up the'street or roadway. It is therefore my invention to produce a protector or auxiliary rim for the wheel 11,- which protector rim comprises a plurality of segmental shaped rimv sections 14 which are' identical in construction aseach includes a smooth tread surface or curved wallr 15, and inwardly extending side flanges 16.

All of thel rim sections 14 have their ends provided with spaced fingers'l, the fingers 17 of one rim section fitting in the spaces Abetween the' fingers of the next adjacent rim sectionto produce'a staggered joint between the meeting ends of the respective sections as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawlng. p j

One of the rim sections 14 which I shall designate by the letter Ahas one of its ends provided with a'plate 18,`which is riveted to theunder side thereof but which terminates with the adjacent end ofthe said section. Mounted on the plate 18 is a pair of spaced bearings 19 in which the opposite ends of a crank shaft 2O are journaled, while pivoted to thecrank shaft 20 in spaced relation is a pair of rods 21. The outerfree ends of these rods are screw threaded as at 22 for a purpose to be presently explained.

lOne' end of one of the rim sections 14 which I will refer toas section B has a plate 23 riveted'to the inner side thereof, and this plate is formed with an inwardly extendingflange 24 having `openings'25 therein for a purpose to accommodate the rods 21. This plate also includes a liange 26 which is disposed at right angles to the flange 24 and i which is arrangedA in spaced relation to the outer curved wall 14 of the said section B."

The space between the flange 26 and the wall 14 of the'sectionB accommodates the outer end of the plate 18 to provide a lap joint between the meeting ends ofthe sections A and B. Threaded to theV threaded ends 22 of the rods 21 are removable nuts 27 which are flange 24 are expansion springs 29.

backed up and held by jamb nuts 28, while interposed between the nuts 27 and the These springs encircle the rods 21 and serve to exert a tension or pressure upon the crank shaft 2O to pull the sections into contracted position about the tractor wheel as will be appreciatedlw Y Y' j The other ends of the sections Ar and B and the meeting ends of the other sections 14 are connected by separable joints, each joint consisting |of Z-shaped tongues BQriveted to the inner side of one of the meeting ends of a section for engagement with a plate 31 carried by the adjacent meeting end of the nent rim section. The plate 31 is formed with an offset portion 32 which is provided with spaced slots 33 which facilitate the passage of the Z-shaped tongues 30 as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing. The connection formed by the slotted plate 31 and the Z- shaped tongues produces a separable connection between the meeting ends of the sections and when the sections are joined, the springs 29 and the crank shaft 2O act to contract the sections about the rim of the traction wheel. For facilitating access to the nuts 27 and 28, portions of the side flanges 16 of the rim section B are cut away as at 34 whereby a wrench may be inserted through the side of the protector rim to kpermit turning of the nuts when it is desired to break the joint between theV sections A and B or when it be- ,1,5 inserted through the openings 25 in the flange124. The springs 29 are then inserted upon the rods 21 and nuts 27 and 28 threaded onto the threaded ends of the saidjrod. By tightening up upon the nuts, a pull is exerted upon the crank shaft 2() which acts to pull allof the rim sections against the periphery of the traction wheel. When in applied position, the rim protector is prevented from circumferential creeping by reason of the fact that the oints between the sections will strike'the traction elements 13 whereas the said rim sections are prevented from lateral movement by reason of the ianges 16 whichembra'ce opposite sides of the rim 12 of the traction wheel 11.

While I have shown and described what I deem tovbe the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various .changes in construction may be resorted to if desired and I do not wish to limit kby the appended claims.

myself to the precise structural details herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A n attachment for a tractor wheel having. circumferentially` spacedu f peripheral cleats, comprising a plurality of articulated sections of arcuate form adapted :to be' arranged about the tractor wheel and beinghprovided with radially inwardly projecting "side members, one of the sections beingv provided on the inner side thereof with a plate underlying the adjacent portion of'the contiguous section, bearing members attached to the inner surface of said plate and being provided with alined openings extending transversely ofthe plate, a shaft extendingfthrough said Valined openings and-having the intermediate portion thereof offset to define` a crank, a plurality of rods connected to said crank, a second plate secured to the inner side of the contiguous section and having openings slidably receiving said rods, spring means on said rods to tension the same, said second named plate having an offset terminal portion cooperating with the contiguous section in the formation of a recess slidably receiving the said 'under' lying portion of said first named plate, said first and second named plates being arranged between said inwardly projecting side members and adapted'to be disposed between a pair of the cleats on the tractor wheel for preventing shifting of the attachment circumferentially on the tractor wheel.

2. An attachment for a tractor wheel having circumferentially spaced peripheral cleats, comprising a plurality of articulated i* sections of arcuate form adapted to be arranged about the tractor wheel and being provided with radially inwardly projecting side members, one of the sections being provided on the inner side thereof with a plate underlying the adjacent portion of the contiguous section, bearing members attached to the inner surface of said plate and being provided with alined openings 'extending transversely of the plate, a shaft extending through said alined openings and having the intermediate portion thereof offset tov define a crank, a plurality of rods connected to: said crank, a second plate secured to the inner side of the contiguous section and having openings slidably receiving said rods, and spring means on said rods to tension the same, said first and second named plates being arranged between said inwardly projecting side members and adapted to be disposed between a pair of the cleats on the tractor wheel for preventing shifting of the attachment circumferentially of the tractor wheel. In testimo'n7 whereof I afiiX my signature.

I MILLER D. STORM.- Y 

